The Todd Group celebrated its eightieth anniversary as armed and unarmed combat instruction providers March 24th 2007.
The legacy began with Harry Baldock and his entry into self defence and unarmed combat as an instructor back in 1927.
Harry immigrated with his family from Great Britian aged five.
He first began training in Christchurch in 1921 at the age of fifteen and then moved to Dunedin in 1929.
Harry Baldock
He was a wrestling coach and a high school physical training instructor before opening his own facilty in 1931 the Baldock Institute in Dunedin New Zealand.
Harry was a pioneer in physical culture and imported weight training equipment and Turkish baths before anyone had really heard of them down under.
He was an innovator and from his initial Brit unarmed combat training formed complete systems and training packages. He was the first weight lifting judge in his province and was a wrestling judge and referee.
During WWII he had three years away from the Baldock Institute when he was the NZ Army chief unarmed combat instructor and Physical training instructor at Burnham camp as well as Forbury and Wingatui camps. He made the rank of Sergeant Major and turned down an officer’s commission as he wanted to remain a ‘hands on’ instructor.
Harry Baldock
Harry was in demand for his physical training and close combat expertise during the war and his work load was massive. His superiors thought he needed an assistant and a Brit assistant instructor was enlisted.
Harry took exception to his assistant and his cocky attitude and saw fit to take him out in the centre of the sports field and teach him a lesson in close quarters combat by taking him down and tying him up in knots to the point of submission several times over.
This resulted in an instant request for transfer and Harry back on his own the way he liked it.
Harry sorted out the odd soldier that thought they had the match of him when there was no other option and some of his very best combatants were in fact those that he had beaten.
After the war Harry was back running the Baldock Institute and it was the training place for the leading professional wrestlers of the era and of some of the best in the game. Harry wrestled with them all and even though he was considerably lighter than them he was never pinned by any of them.
Harry conducting wrestling training
One of Harry’s regrets was not being able to compete as an amateur wrestler as he was deemed a professional back then as he was a coach of a leading wrestling team.
The reality was that no one could beat him back then and he regularly wrestled the best in the country at training and they had no chance.
He was a skilled masseur and Mrs Baldock was a nurse and physiotherapist and assisted Harry with the Baldock facility.
The Baldock Institute was an institution for the serious weight trainer’s and combatant’s for decades and Harry trained many weight lifting and wrestling champions as well as the police and local business men and judges, lawyers and accountants over his 59 years as the chief instructor.
In 1973 Geoff Todd entered the Baldock institute and began training from Harry. Harry would not teach Geoff unarmed combat at first as he stated it was too violent post-World War Two.
He taught Geoff weight training, combat conditioning, wrestling, boxing, self defence, and unorthodox grappling.
Eventually he agreed to teach Geoff armed and unarmed combat and when he had taught him the system up to instructor level Geoff later set up his own facility.
After several changes in location Geoff moved his close combat depot into the Baldock Institute and begun working with Harry learning all aspects of the operation to take over the facility in 1986.
Like with many changes of the guard in military unarmed combat, the Baldock Institute name became that of the new chief instructor the Todd Group.
Geoff had travelled extensively training from some of the legendry pioneers of military close combat and some of the current expert chief instructors and has a lineage of no other military qualified instructor.
He was sent to Fort Bragg in 1990 for close combat familiarization and met US Army Special Forces chief hand to hand combat Lawrence Jordan there who later qualified him up to Master Instructor rank.
Geoff has instructor qualifications from Harry Baldock, Col Rex Applegate, Charles Nelson and Captain Ben Mangels.
He has Master Instructor qualifications in several countries and has been a military elite forces chief instructor since 1994.
Like Harry he to is also the chief CQB instructor to the NZ Army and has racked more hours as a military close combat instructor than any other master instructor.
The Todd Group is still in the old Baldock facility in Dunedin, New Zealand and has expanded the size of the facility and in 2006 purchased a 280 acre 100 man accommodation training camp.
The Todd Group now has an instructing team of over 100 instructors and 30 depots world wide.
The Todd Group military instructing team train thousands of soldiers annually and the Todd Group facility formerly the Baldock Institute is the oldest private military instruction provider of European close combat in the world.
Instructors and exponents from all over the world travel down under year round for training and the annual International Close Combat Course they conduct the end of March annually attracts a full muster every year since its conception in 1996.
How many close combat private training providers can lay claim to an 80 year history with just two chief instructors at the helm? A facility that is a specialist training provider to the military elite, regular forces and attracts military master level instructors from around the world.
How many private close combat training providers have a headquarters and a satellite training camp on 280 acres of rural bush land with accommodation and mess facilities for one hundred exponents and thirty depots world wide?
The Todd Group has training weapons and equipment to train 250 soldiers on course and with in fifteen minutes of their HQ facility they have access to rail, sea and air facilities for their close personal protection courses and a shooting range.
The Todd Group also has a building opposite their HQ that houses their administration office and their Fight Times store, mail order warehouse and Fight Times publishing and production facility.
Todd Group exponents and instructors number in the tens of thousands and increase annually with exponents on the annual international course, post course joining the groups membership and individuals from around the world that have received Todd Systems training on their military or law enforcement courses also joining up and making it their hobby or a source of income.
The Todd Group being the HQ to maintain standards and stay at the forefront of military close combat and not being a franchise business is the total support and command and resource centre to assist and direct depot instructors.
The Todd Groups HQ not charging depot instructors any depot fees or charging for testing phases has seen the serious combatant that wants to put themselves on the line and earn promotion without charge sign up in the masses.
No one looks on the Todd Group as a business or a club, they consider it to be the home of true close combat and close combat professionals where the expert instructors have a life time commitment to their profession.
Grandfathers, fathers, sons and daughters have all been members of the Todd Group and it was with the previous history, leadership, achievement and membership that the first eighty years of the Todd Group came to celebrate its 80th anniversary March 24th 2007.
Before the 80th anniversary the Todd Group conducted a two week Specialist Close Personal Protection course and immediately after the 80th celebrations the Todd Group conducted the annual international CQB course.
Close Personal Protection Phase Air Travel
Close Personal Protection Phase Air Travel
Close Personal Protection Phase Protective Shooting
Close Personal Protection Phase Escape
Close Personal Protection Phase Close Protection Related Medical Emergency,
instructed by Doctor Stefan Eriksson
Close Personal Protection Phase Close Protection Related Medical Emergency,
instructed by Doctor Stefan Eriksson
Close Personal Protection Related Evasive Driving
Close Personal Protection Related Aggressive Driving
Close Personal Protection Phase Rail Travel
Close Personal Protection Phase Rail Travel
Close Personal Protection 4WD Phase of training
Close Personal Protection Training Exercise (VIP Larry Jordan)
Close Personal Protection Phase Maritime
Close Personal Protection Phase Maritime
The CPP course, the 80th anniversary and the CQB course attracted over 400 past, current and new members and was described by all that attended as the most special close combat assembly they have ever heard of or seen.
These attendees included military master level instructors, police and military personnel and exponents from the UK, US, Europe and Australia.
The 80th included the release of the anniversary DVD 80 Years of Combative Excellence and the 12 CD Technique to Command series.
The phase one DVD covering all the military phase one unarmed offensive assault and unarmed counter-offensive assault DVD orders were taken and the DVD is now available for academic purposes.
Annual course goers use this very special course as continuation training clocking up over eighty hours in a week and remaining current as well as spending up large at Fight Times where they can make purchases, at wholesale, of all their CQB requirements.
The 80th began with an open day at the Todd Group old HQ building. Over 80 years of photographs were displayed and the 80th anniversary DVD 80 Years of Combatives Excellence was released for its first public viewing.
Todd Group 80th Anniversary
Todd Group 80th Anniversary
The HQ facility was open for former members and their families to inspect the facility and equipment as well as the displays of the berets and plaques of military units associated with the Todd Group and memorabilia.
Tank’s personal collection of military knives and tactical weapons was also on display.
Having the Baldock families and some of Harry’s former members in attendance was very special and they spent several hours reminiscing and checking out the displays.
The Baldock family members even gave the mat room a try out and Harry’s grandchildren were given the full guided tour by their fathers.
It was so nice to see how interested the current generations of the Baldocks and former Baldock facility members and their family members were.
From the open day at the HQ it was off to the Todd Group training camp for a BBQ lunch and drinks. During the afternoon there were demonstrations of CQB and wrestling before a traditional Samoan Umu dinner.
Todd Group 80th Anniversary at the Todd Group camp
Todd Group 80th Anniversary Billy Graham entertains
Todd Group 80th Anniversary Billy Graham demonstrates
Todd Group 80th Anniversary Billy Graham demonstrates
Todd Group 80th Anniversary Billy Graham demonstrates with
Lee Smith
Todd Group 80th Anniversary wrestling demonstration overseen
by the head coach Alan Rolton
After dinner there were anniversary speeches that begun with the welcoming speech from Todd Group chief instructor Tank.
Todd Group 80th Anniversary – Opening address, Tank Todd
Larry Jordan, a US Army Special Forces Sergeant Major retired and former hand to hand combat chief instructor, gave a speech on how very special the Todd Group was and how he very much enjoyed his visits down under.
Todd Group 80th Anniversary – guest speaker Larry Jordan
Billy Graham, a former boxing champion and motivational speaker (who’s public speaking has included the million dollar round table at Atlanta Georgia) gave a great speech and motivational demonstration.
Todd Group 80th Anniversary – Billy Graham entertains
Todd Group 80th Anniversary – Billy Graham entertains
Peter and David Baldock gave a great insight into their Dad’s life and his early days as a pioneer and just how he committed himself to his work.
Todd Group 80th Anniversary – VIPs Peter and David Baldock
Peter, a former member of the Baldock national wrestling team and a NZ wrestling champion, during his speech brought out his Baldock blazer and put it on all these years later showing the pride he and all Baldock members had in the facility.
Todd Group 80th Anniversary – VIP Peter Baldock
The attendees were very impressed with David and Peter’s sincere and revealing insights into their Dad and Mums lives.
The speeches over and the entertainment began with the introduction of the recent TV series star and as he is known “Singer of Songs” -Wayne Anderson – introduced by his manager Orlando Stewart.
Wayne Anderson – Singer of Songs
Wayne Anderson – Singer of Songs
Wayne Anderson – Singer of Songs
Wayne Anderson – Singer of Songs
Wayne Anderson – Singer of Songs
Wayne Anderson – Singer of Songs
The exponents on the CPP course after their two weeks training were tasked with the protection of the VIPs attending the 80th including Wayne Anderson.
There were some very special reunions during that night and new friendships formed.
The following day the phase three exponents on the CQB course arrived and begun their training followed by the phase one and two exponents.
Over the next week three phases of the Todd Systems of Close Combat were conducted simultaneously at separate training areas at the Todd Group camp.
During the week exponents attended training at the Todd Group HQ and a workshop conducted by Larry Jordan on his Dirty Dozen self defence system.
Larry Jordan – Dirty Dozen Seminar
Larry Jordan – Dirty Dozen Seminar
Larry Jordan – Dirty Dozen Seminar
Larry Jordan – Dirty Dozen Seminar
Larry Jordan – Dirty Dozen Seminar
The workshop was a capacity turnout with over seventy wall to wall exponents attending.
The end of the week and it was phase one and two tests conducted in the great outdoors and even in the rain at times as it turned out.
Annual March Close Combat Course – Technique to Command practice – Phase 1
Annual March Close Combat Course – Technique to Command practice – Phase 1
Annual March Close Combat Course – Technique to Command practice – Phase 1
Annual March Close Combat Course – Phase 1 test, toughner phase
Annual March Close Combat Course – Phase 1 test, disarming
Annual March Close Combat Course – Phase 1 test, disarming
Annual March Close Combat Course – Combative testing
Annual March Close Combat Course – – Phase 1 test, disarming
Annual March Close Combat Course – Phase 1 test, disarming
Annual March Close Combat Course – Combative Testing
Annual March Close Combat Course – Hold Escape
Annual March Close Combat Course – disarming
Annual March Close Combat Course – Combative Testing
Annual March Close Combat Course – Combative Testing
The pass level was extremely high this year and some very tough and skilful exponents proved themselves.
Those that didn’t pass certainly didn’t lack in commitment or toughness and if they have what it takes will be back on a phase test in the future. Many visiting exponents said that they could not conduct such testing phases in their countries because of liability.
The annual course over and Tank and the military instructing team were away on course again and applications for next year’s annual course were already coming in.
I would recommend applicants get in early as many that applied late this year were turned down as the slots were all filled.
Every year the former exponents return and full musters of entry level exponents are confirmed many months out.
2008 will see the annual close combat course conducted in March and the convention and workshops of the International Close Combat Instructors Association in November both at the Todd Group.
This will be the first time the association convention has been conducted in New Zealand.
The convention will consist of the association official meetings and functions and the workshops conducted by association members instructing skills from their systems of military armed and unarmed combat, self defence and law enforcement training.
In conclusion the standard of training and testing was very high and testament to the standard of instruction provided not only on this course but also by the Todd Group depot instructors around the world. The Todd systems having commonality and being a complete battle proven system ensures all exponents are trained in the same battle proven skills and all have to pass the same phase test to move on. This course as always attracted combatants all wanting to earn the right to rank on course as it is and must be with close combat.
80 Years of Combative Excellence DVD
80 Years of Combative Excellence the history of the Todd Group from its establishment in 1927 by the late Harry Baldock until current. This DVD includes 80 years of film footage and still photographs of a wide range of the history and training conducted by the Baldock Institute and now the Todd Group. Order directly from the Todd Group
- New Zealand orders NZ$25 including postage and packaging.
- International orders NZ$35 including postage and packaging.
Note: Prices quoted in NZ dollars.
For ordering and payment information email [email protected]
